Gerardo “Jerry” Catena rose through the ranks of the Genovese crime family to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful mobsters in American history, yet he died in 2000 at age 98 in Florida, having spent his final two decades living quietly under the radar with no obituary marking his passing. Born in the Ironbound section of Newark in 1902, Catena grew up in a strong Italian neighborhood and attended school in a predominantly Jewish area. His early arrests following 1920 placed him in the bootlegging era, with charges involving truck hijacking and stolen merchandise. He fell under the mentorship of Newark racketeer Longy Zwillman and later joined the crew of Genovese family capo Willie Moretti, establishing what historian Scott Deitche describes as a very Jersey-centric criminal career.
Deitche, author of the new book “Jersey Boss” about Catena’s life, sat down for an interview to discuss the mobster’s rise. Catena was formally inducted into the family in the early to mid-1940s, around the same time as contemporaries like DeCicco Carlo, though the exact year is difficult to pin down. His brother Eugene also became a made member and rose to captain, serving as Jerry’s close confidant and right-hand man until his death from cancer in 1967. Catena’s criminal portfolio leaned heavily toward white-collar rackets rather than violence.
He oversaw gambling operations for a Newark bookmaker, handled stolen merchandise from the waterfront where he and his brother worked, and became involved in union activities. He was arrested once for biting the finger of a police officer attempting to arrest him, an incident Deitche noted was out of character. By the time he was made in the mid-1940s, Catena had built a wide portfolio of legitimate companies through his association with Zwillman and others, including the Public Service Tobacco Company. His business interests extended into Las Vegas, where the Jersey mob played a largely overlooked role in casino ownership and the skim.
From the Fremont Casino alone, Catena reportedly received $40,000 per month from the skim in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He also had a lucrative deal with Bally Gaming, along with other legitimate businesses. Fellow mobsters recognized his wealth, with wiretaps capturing figures like Richie Boiardo claiming Catena had more money than anyone, perhaps even Meyer Lansky. Following the murder of capo Ottilio Moretti, Catena stepped into leadership of the crew.
Genovese boss Vito Genovese named him underboss, reportedly saying the man “has the keys to Vegas. ” When Genovese was sent to prison around 1959, Catena became acting boss, with Tommy Eboli serving as acting underboss. Deitche found evidence in wiretaps that Catena attended Commission meetings and ran the family, though the historian noted Catena may not have wanted the top job given how much money he was already making. Eboli often spoke disparagingly about Catena in wiretapped conversations, complaining about his leadership style and his handling of issues like the Joe Bonanno situation.
Eboli suggested Benny Squint might be better suited to lead. But despite the grumbling, no one ever made a move against Catena. “Nothing ever happens,” Deitche noted. “Nobody tries to usurp him.
There’s a certain level of respect there for Catena. ”
When Genovese died in prison in 1969, Catena briefly served as boss for continuity, according to people Deitche interviewed. But in 1970, the New Jersey State Commission of Investigation found him in contempt of court and sentenced him to Yardville prison. During his incarceration, questions arose about who actually ran the family, with names like Funzi Tieri and Benny Squint circulating.
New Jersey law enforcement still considered Catena the boss, and the son of a prominent Newark FBI agent told Deitche that his father once petitioned the FBI to rename the Genovese family the Catena crime family in the mid-1960s. Eboli’s role during this period remains murky. Some sources described him as boss, but Deitche believes there was an internal power struggle. People Deitche spoke with said Eboli was unpopular generally, made enemies, and bad-mouthed Catena, who was alerted at Yardville about what was going to happen.
When Eboli was gunned down in the 1970s, Deitche suggested he never stood a chance once Tieri and Squint began flexing their muscle. Catena served five years at Yardville and was released in 1975. He sold his New Jersey home in 1976 and moved to Boca Raton, Florida. Law enforcement continued investigating him, and in the early 1980s he appeared on mob charts as consigliere, likely reflecting his elder statesman status rather than an active role.
He remained involved with Bally Gaming into the late 1970s and early 1980s, but by the mid-1980s he was essentially retired and playing golf. Deitche spoke with author Myron Sugerman, who recalled seeing Catena in the early 1990s when the aging mobster was in his early 90s. Catena told him, “They let me retire. ” He spent his last two decades under the radar, moving to Punta Gorda on Florida’s west coast in his final years.
When he died in 2000, there was no obituary and no front-page newspaper article. Deitche argues Catena’s legacy extends beyond organized crime into legitimate business. He was instrumental in turning Bally Gaming around from near collapse in the early 1960s into a major name in the gaming industry. Notably, when Bally sought a casino license renewal around 1995, when Catena was about 93 and long retired, the Nevada Gaming Control Board still included a line item stating the company could not do business with any affiliate of Jerry Catena.
Deitche’s book also explores Catena’s personal life, including a chapter titled “Who Was Jerry Catena” featuring interviews with family members and people who knew him. He was frequently in the newspapers during the 1940s, but not for criminal activity, rather for being a successful amateur golfer. “I think he was kind of a really interesting individual,” Deitche said. “I try to flesh it out a little bit more in terms of not only what he did, but who he was in the context of organized crime.
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